Kansas City, MO — The Kansas City Business Journal has named Kirsty Melville, President and Publisher, a “Women Who Mean Business Award” winner for 2018.

This prestigious award honors outstanding professional women who have made significant contributions to their business or industry, as well as to their community. The rigorous application process included a thorough and detailed submission that outlined the professional accomplishments of the candidate for the judges to review. The submission also included Melville’s contributions to the Kansas City community (including AFS Intercultural Programs, publishing the works of community-related leaders and organizations), and her contributions to improving the climate for women in business (through her position as publisher, as a mentor and by professional outreach).

Since 2005, Kirsty has overseen the publication of dozens of bestsellers and award-winners across categories as varied as humor, cookbooks, children’s books, fiction, inspiration, adult coloring and, most recently, the re-invigoration of the poetry category. Her keen eye, deep industry knowledge, relentless drive and spirited leadership have been invaluable to the growth of AMU for many years.